017 - From the ashes

The inside of the club was as he had thought it would be. Cynthia pulled him all the way to the tables, where she made him sit beside three other girls.

Apart from their appearance, and their forms, they seemed to have come out of the same mold, with their expensive and provocative clothes. They were sitting, but he didn't doubt that their clothes didn't reach past their thighs.

They all had smooth skin, with the heat and the lights around raising their appeal by making the light sheen of sweat on them glisten.

The rise and fall of their chests suggested that they might have just come back from the dance floor where people were grinding against each other, and not just people of the opposite sex. It seemed that the standing didn't matter, as no matter the kind of club, the behavior would not differ much.

With excitement, Cynthia made the presentations:

"Girls, this is Daemon, the one I told you about. He risked his life to save mine three months ago. He is my hero."

"Hello." × 2 "Hi."

After they greeted him, Cynthia turned to him and continued:

"Daemon, these are my friends. Meet Kelly, Jane and Rachel."

The girls were different, but beautiful, less than thirty years old, and obviously from well-off backgrounds. Daemon nodded at them, but most of his attention was on the chaotic surroundings, making the girls surprised. After all, they were used to men being always ready to fawn upon them, and not many would answer their enthusiastic greetings in such a lukewarm manner.

Cynthia ordered one of the rare non-alcoholic drinks available while her friends came close to exchange whispers:

"Is he the one who saved you? He doesn't seem like much. Why did you bring him here with us? And he is not even drinking what a man should drink."

"Indeed, if you wanted to thank him, you could have just given him some money, or help him a bit with the influence of your father."

"But he does look handsome, I can understand where you are coming from. Too bad he has been disfigured."

Cynthia became frustrated and pushed the heads around her away:

"Girls, don't say that. He just left the hospital and can't drink alcohol. And do you think I brought him here for you? If you want someone, go look for your handsome and rich suitors."

"Don't be like that. Even with only half of his face, your Daemon is still more handsome than those effeminate men. And look at those arms, that chest. Even with the jacket on, I can tell that he likes to work out. Even after a long time at the hospital, he is still in better shape than those suitors of ours."

"Yes. And the indifference he is showing is exciting me."

Like a hen about to lose her egg, Cynthia rose from her seat to resist:

"Hold your horses. If you keep this up, I will help you take a cold shower."

The reaction made the girls laugh, eliciting an eye roll from Cynthia. She ignored them and went to almost paste herself to Daemon, taking one of his arms that she cradled on her chest:

"So, what do you think of the nightlife? Is it different from before?"

Daemon responded with a question of his own asked with a flat tone:

"Do you think I'm that old? Or that I traveled through time?"

He took a sip and continued:

"What's more, I was busy, and you could say that I left the city soon after becoming an adult. This is actually the first time I try a nightclub in this city."

"Is that so? What were you busy with?"

Daemon rolled his eyes inwardly:

"From your question, I can already tell that you used to go out at night even before adulthood."

"Of course. You only live once, and you only have one youth, so my friends and I decided to play to the fullest."

'And that almost got you killed.'

Though that was what he thought, Daemon didn't say it. He could not decide for someone the way they should live.

Seeing him focus on his drink, Cynthia nudged him:

"You still haven't answered me. What were you busy with?

Daemon was speechless. What could a minor be busy with in his teenage years?

"School, of course. What else?"

The other girls stifled a laugh when they saw Daemon look at their friend with eyes affirming that her mind might need some tweaking.

Cynthia glared at her friends, before she turned back to Daemon:

"Then I will help you enjoy the night to the fullest. Wait for me."

Cynthia stood up and went to the restroom, leaving the man and the three women at the table.

The girls looked at each other, before also standing up with mischievous glints in the eyes.

"Come, Daemon, let's move a little."

The man was a little surprised. He looked at them with a questioning look, but they ignored him and took his hands, while the third one was putting his drink aside.

He could have resisted, of course, but in the end, he just shook his head helplessly and went with the flow.

He soon found himself the object of envious glances, as he was surrounded by three beauties that were not shying from grinding their bodies against his. He almost became like the pole for the three to perform their dance on.

At some point, with their excitement mounting, two of the girls separated themselves from the teasing game and went to enjoy themselves together, jumping around and twisting themselves.

As for the third one, Rachel, she glued her back to him, and took his hands that she placed on her flat, soft abdomen. She took the play up a notch, as if trying to get a reaction from him through the touch and the spectacle she was giving.

And that was what Cynthia found when she came back from the restroom to find an empty table, and after following the gaze of the crowd to the most attention grabbing spectacle of the moment.

"These girls…"